Water Stress Brings Risks for Thirsty Power Generators (Podcast)
Power plants have a water problem that’s getting harder to ignore. Coal, gas and nuclear facilities rely heavily on water for cooling, leaving some exposed as drought and heat intensify...
By KAMALA SCHELLING · Bloomberg
Power plants have a water problem that’s getting harder to ignore. Coal, gas and nuclear facilities rely heavily on water for cooling, leaving some exposed as drought and heat intensify pressure on freshwater supplies. Wind and solar generation have a dramatically lower dependence on water, but thermal plants will remain critical to power systems, and many existing assets are located in areas facing growing water stress. That creates risks beyond individual generators. Water shortages can constr